


Pursuit

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: he certainly carries too much coffee around with him during midterms, nishiki probably drinks too much coffee, tsukiyama doesn't know the meaning of studying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-18
Updated: 2015-03-18
Packaged: 2018-03-18 12:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3570098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's midterms, Nishiki is drowning in study materials, and the last thing he needs is the ghoul who wanted to eat his girlfriend showing up at the library.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pursuit

**Author's Note:**

> Someone posted something on Tumblr about how they couldn't believe Tsukiyama is a student. Why hasn't that been used more as a thing in the manga/anime? Tsukiyama being a student amuses me. Anyway...enjoy!

8pm, the library. Three texts from Kimi that had been answered with one-word replies and three empty cans of coffee sitting in front of him like a wall against the other side of the table, even though no one else was there. He raised his fourth can of coffee, taking a sip, and a hand clamped down on his shoulder. 

“Mind if I join you.” 

Nishiki choked on his drink, brought his hands to his mouth to prevent coffee getting all over his notes and textbooks (horribly overpriced) and spun around in his chair, but the person who'd dared to touch him had already moved to sit across the table. 

Nishiki's hands clenched into fists. It took every ounce of patience that he'd ever managed to have in his life to not stab Tsukiyama through the stomach right there in the library. 

Tsukiyama gave him an infuriatingly smug smile. He knew Nishiki could do nothing about him in this place. He placed one notebook and one textbook in front of him, and Nishiki wished he had at least eight more cans of coffee to block out his annoying face. 

“I do mind, actually,” Nishiki hissed. “You're not even a student.” 

“Au contraire,” Tsukiyama purred. “I am a third year.” 

“Not here,” Nishiki said, gritting his teeth. Surely not here. Tsukiyama could not be smart enough to get into Kamii. If he was, Nishiki's brain would explode.

“No,” Tsukiyama admitted, flipping his book open with the sort of elegance not usually seen amongst college students towards their books. “But Kamii has much better resources. And the library...beautiful.” 

Nishiki narrowed his eyes. 

“You must be quite the diligent student,” Tsukiyama continued, “to be here so late.” 

“It's midterms,” Nishiki said. “It'd be idiotic to not be studying.” 

“And how's Kimi?” 

Nishiki clenched his pen so hard it actually snapped, leaking black ink onto his hand, which dripped onto the floor. He dropped the plastic shards, ripped a piece of paper out of his notebook, and used it to clean his hand, all while glaring at Tsukiyama. 

“Don't you dare,” he growled. 

Tsukiyama raised his hands. 

“Why are you here?” Nishiki asked. 

“I told you, to study.” 

Nishiki sighed. “This wouldn't be about Kaneki, would it? Stalking him at his school is a bit pathetic.” 

Tsukiyama pursed his lips. 

“He's not coming,” Nishiki added. 

“You don't study together?” Tsukiyama asked, looking a bit disappointed. 

Nishiki rolled his eyes. “We're not even on the same courses. Why would we study together? Besides, he--” He cut himself off. He'd been about to say, “He has Nagachika.” But letting Tsukiyama know about the human closest to Kaneki was not a good move, given what he'd done to Kimi. It was bad enough that Nishiki had tried to eat Hide. “He doesn't come in much.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because his course is easy as shit? I don't know. Can you leave? I'm actually trying to study.” 

Tsukiyama tapped his fingers on the table. “So...where does Kaneki study?”

“I don't know!” Nishiki snapped, and a few students looked around at him, some confused, some annoyed. 

Tsukiyama laughed. “You're causing quite the scene.” 

“I'm not--” Nishiki closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. But it wasn't working. He wanted to go outside and beat the shit out of Tsukiyama, but if he left, someone would take his spot, and then he'd be forced to study in his apartment, where he'd want to sleep, or with Kimi, who'd distract him. 

Plus, it would seem too much like admitting defeat. 

“Surely Kaneki studies here sometimes,” Tsukiyama said. “Anyway, I'd like to study with you.” 

Nishiki drained his fourth can of coffee and reached into his bag for a fifth. If Tsukiyama was going to stay, it would be better if Nishiki couldn't see him. He placed the fourth can amongst the other empty ones. He could still see Tsukiyama's face, but if he leaned forward to read his book, keeping his face close to the table, he could get away with only seeing a tuft of purple hair. 

Seeing that he was being ignored, Tsukiyama sighed and opened his notebook. Nishiki managed to get absorbed in a series of chemical compositions and combinations and how they affected the human body, which was fascinating. He almost forgot Tsukiyama was there. 

“Nishio,” Tsukiyama murmured, leaning forward and causing Nishiki to jump. “Do you have an extra coffee, by any chance?” 

“No,” Nishiki said, draining his fifth can and placing it on top of the other four. He reached into his bag and pulled out a sixth, popped the tab, and took a long drink. Tsukiyama looked annoyed, but didn't press the issue, and Nishiki smirked. 

Tsukiyama continued to stare at him, which was getting on Nishiki's nerves. He could feel the other man's eyes on him, and he grit his teeth, trying not to let it get to him. He wasn't going to give up his precious study spot on Tsukiyama's account. But his notes were starting to bounce off him rather than sink in, and finally he glared at Tsukiyama and snapped, “What?” 

“I apologize,” Tsukiyama said. He looked like a bad actor trying to make a contrite face. 

“For what?” Nishiki asked, and then realized too late that he shouldn't have. Because he new exactly what it was and he didn't want to hear it. 

“For harming your girlfriend,” Tsukiyama said. “I--” 

“Apology not accepted, you piece of shit.” Nishiki slammed his hand on the table, scattering his five empty coffee cans. Some students stared at him and Tsukiyama. Several people hissed, “shhh!” 

“Surely we can come to an agreement,” Tsukiyama said. 

“Surely you can go fuck yourself,” Nishiki snapped. “Why should I believe anything you say? It's all just a plan to get closer to Kaneki. Who, by the way? Thinks you're creepy as hell.” 

Another chorus of “shhh's” interrupted Tsukiyama's reply. “At least we can study in silence,” he said. “Kaneki would want us to get along.” 

“I don't give a damn what Kaneki wants,” Nishiki said, his voice now a harsh whisper. “What are you even studying, anyway?” 

Tsukiyama blinked. “Social welfare.” 

Nishiki's eye twitched. “Social—you—“ He slammed his head down on the table. 

“Perhaps,” Tsukiyama said, “it's time you took a break.” Nishiki felt a hand on his shoulder, which he wanted to chop off, and would have, if they weren't surrounded. He'd have to wash that shoulder for at least an hour to stop his skin crawling. 

When he looked up, Tsukiyama had gone. 

But several people were surreptitiously staring at him. 

“Bastard,” Nishiki muttered. He ducked his head so that no one could see his face, and tried to resume reading his notes. 

A seventh can of coffee joined the others.


End file.
